Hi-Viz Clothing is MP

My commute is pretty ho hum... 11.3 miles each way on mostly scenic roads. Net uphill on the way in, downhill on the way home, but both ways offer some good climbing. I've been doing this ride for 5 years or so, 3 times per week on average and let's just say that the excitement isn't there like it used to be, but I do recognize that I am lucky to have the health and resources available to make it happen.

Three weeks ago I was on the fixed gear bike heading to work when this guy on an older litespeed blazes by me. I had seen this rider before, but usually in the afternoon. He's always in full length tights, always with the same one size too big hi-viz Pearl windbreaker, always motoring along pretty good but he was usually headed the other way so how do you really know, right? Well, here he goes by me like a shot on this long downward pitched false flat that follows the final major downhill to work. I'm spun out in the 42/16 and who knows how long this guy had been hunting me down. "Take advantage of an undergeared fixie" I thought and vowed my revenge next week on my geared bike.

Exactly one week later riding the cross bike I turn onto the hill that precedes the descent I mentioned above. There's Mr. Day glow about 300 meters ahead of me.... my turn to lock the tractor beam on. The effort to catch him was massive, he didn't see me at first but wasn't just cruising along. As we made the left turn towards the top of the hill he spotted me when he checked to see if the coast was clear of traffic. He backed off a bit, and I rode up and asked him if he was commuting or just riding. He settled in behind, said "just a morning ride" and rode my wheel while I tried to recover from the first part of the hill.

There is perhaps 90 seconds of flat road between that left hand turn and a little chopper that brings you up to the top of the final descent into work. As we hit the base of this rise, Johnny Litespeed swings out and drops the hammer, taking off up the hill in what can only be described as an "attack." I was pretty tired and could not respond fast enough to catch any advantage from a draft either up the hill or as we began the descent. He was pulling away, and while doing so continually checked over his shoulder to see where I was. He'd turn back forward and put his head down. There is no doubt this guy was trying to loose me and for the most part, he did.

Not that I'm super competitive or anything, but while commuting last week I admit that I was looking over my shoulder more than usual to see if he was coming up. Never saw him ahead or behind me. The nerves were high for a rematch.

This morning, as I crest the top of the hill on my fixie he goes by, and drops into the super tuck to try and get away.

Not this time.

The lack of a taller gear and the ability to glide in a compact tuck meant that he was going to gap me on the descent and he did. He glanced back at the base of the hill and put his head down again, keeping the pace high on the false flat down hill. After what seemed like forever, I reached the base of the steep part and went into Eddy Merckx 180 rpm spin cycle mode. It took me about 1.5 miles but I brought him back just as we reached the entrance to work.

What a great ride.

See you tomorrow Mr. Baggy Jacket?

movies I never have seen

For many a year, one of my claims to fame was that I had never seen The Wizard of Oz. I never thought it to be a big deal as a kid, I didn't really know what all the fuss was about but as I approached young adulthood people seemed more and more facinated bW the fact that I had never seen it. Whenever the discussion turned to things Oz I always took the opportunity to hijack the conversation with my somewhat unique perspective: that of a Oz neophyte. It didn't take me long to figure out that I could leverage the situation to my advantage by turning the discussion to my incomplete childhood as I certainly could not share rememberances of Dorothy, the monkeys or the Ommpaloompas. It was much easier just to make it all about me.

I still haven't seen it, but people don't seem to care as much.

No Charlie and the Chocolate Factory either.

head scratcher

The internet is great for finding things that make you go "hmmm...."

Under a gallery of photos titled "American cars you can't find in America," I found this picture:

I recall a clear thought I had one day in my dorm during my freshman year at UNH: "I know that day glo neon clothing fashion will fade away but I'm getting inpatient for that day to arrive."

I'm feeling the same about the end of the SUV and the resurrection of the station wagon. I know it will happen, but I'm getting inpatient.

well said

why write it myself when it is all captured so accurately here?

bravo g

current state

I'm fine, thanks for asking.

uninspired

I called a friend the other day who I hadn't heard from in a few months. This person said "I check your blog every day... keep writing."

Kind of defeats the purpose of having friends if all of your communication with them is through this medium.

I'm having difficulty figuring out who my audience is here, so the updates aren't flowing these days.

Blog entries started and stopped in the past few weeks:

My America
The Stanley Cup
Made in China
Boston Marathon Interrupted
My Knee Hurts
What is Wrong with People?

So until I figure out the direction I want to take these topics and who I want them to speak to, these are the sorts of updates you'll get.

Cross season is 4.5 months away and I'm way ahead in the equipment dept this year. Get up for it.

the olympic(s) torch(ed)

Here's a great quote from the of coverage of this year's Olympic torch relay:

"The Olympic Torch, symbol of peace, is currently at an undisclosed location."



The biggest news coming out of Beijing this summer will be the protests, the Tibetian situation, the smog, and China's growing economy. These are all important issues for consideration for sure, but what about the Games? What about the atheletes?


Do kids dream about the Olympics anymore?



Most of you know what I'll say next, but since... well... you know... since... I don't even have to say it... the Games have gone downhill.



The rest of the 80s were shadowed by the Lake Placid games, with a few interesting moments but none of that magic that they had when I was a kid.



I'm not sure when it all began to go south, probably with the 1984 summer games in LA, which were the first to make a profit in over 50 years. I recall that ugly star plastered on everything, most notably the blue/green foam container that held my McDonalds Filet-o-Fish. What a sell out.



The Olympics used to be a destination for an an athlete. A dream come true.


Now it's an inconvenience.


Athletes bitch about travel plans not being made for them by their country's Olympic Committee, security, overzealous fans.


Now I think kids today have adopted this attitude. The atheletes don't care about the games, why should they?


Maybe I'm being nostalgic about the good old days, but too bad, it's my blog.


On a related note, I'd sacrifice 1 year off the end of my life and pay to $20,000 if I could go back in time to 2.22.80 and secure a ticket to this game. Maybe two years.